Four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers killed in West Bank confrontation

Four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers have been shot dead during a confrontation near a village in the occupied West Bank.

The circumstances of the clash, near the village of Tell, southwest of Nablus, are unclear but come amid a recent uptick in violence involving Israeli settlers in the region.

Israeli media reports and local Palestinian officials suggested the shootout happened after a group of settlers entered the village on Friday morning and were confronted by residents. The Israeli military said Israeli civilians had been hiking in the area when they got into a confrontation.

The area is under Palestinian Authority civil and security control, and Israelis are officially prohibited from entering. The Israeli military expects Israeli civilians to notify its forces if they plan to enter the area, but it is thought that the group involved did not do so in this case.

A video of the incident, confirmed by the Israeli military, showed two armed men in civilian clothing, as well as at least one Israeli soldier, pointing their weapons at a group of Palestinians in a field.

At one point, the two armed men rush toward several Palestinian residents with their guns drawn. In the footage, the residents are seen trying to push them back and appear to disarm one of the men before opening fire.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it killed a man who took a weapon from a settler from the nearby settlement of Havat Gilad.

Essam Saifi, a local leader in the Palestinian Fatah party from the village, told news agency Reuters that about 25 to 30 settlers initially attacked the eastern area of Tell and tried to break into two houses there.

When residents came out to confront them, he said the settlers opened fire before leaving.

Half an hour later, he said they returned and attacked the western part of the town, leading to a shootout that also involved the Israeli military.

On Friday, Israeli troops set up roadblocks in the area around Tell and Nablus and said they were pursuing individuals involved.

The military also said it was preparing for "extensive counterterrorism operational activity in the sector" and had cancelled leave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Israel would "act forcefully" following the incident.

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Three months before Israelis go to the polls, Mr Netanyahu's pro-settler government has stepped up preparations to expand settlements in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Middle East war.

According to figures from the Palestinian Authority, 87 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank so far this year, including 21 killed by Israeli settlers.

(c) Sky News 2026: Four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers killed in West Bank confrontation